SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
Readings:
Duetronomy 8: 2-3; 14-16
1Corinthians 10: 16-17
John 6: 51-58
Reflection:
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Our Gospel highlights the shock to his hearers when Jesus described himself as “the living bread” which has come down from heaven. Jesus is the one who nourishes and sustains us, and it is in him that we can have fullness of life.
This is an invitation to be part of the Body of Christ, in other words, part of the community and growing to be a people who, in turn, nourish others by sharing our love and our lives with others walking the road of life towards that Oneness Jesus desired for his followers.
As we participate in our faith community, we are conscious of those with whom we walk, of those who are searching, those who are hungry for bread, those hungry for community and companionship. When we celebrate Eucharist, we recognise that this celebration presupposes community, so it becomes a strengthening of community. When we gather for Eucharist, we are not there just as individuals; we gather to share, to give ourselves to others, and to strengthen community because without community, we cannot have a real Eucharist.
Then comes the challenge, we are sent out to be bread for others, to extend our Eucharist to the family table, to our places of work, into our relationships, into our local community where we can build connections and share love. Perhaps this extract from the ‘Fraction’ meditation written by Donal Reeves will help us to connect what we celebrate Eucharist with a wider reality.
‘We break this bread for the great green earth.
We call to mind the rivers, the forests, the fields and the flowers which we are destroying that one day, the original blessing of God’s creation will be restored.
We break this bread for those who have no bread, the starving, the homeless, the prisoners, the refugees that one day, when justice and peace embrace, this planet will be a home for all.
We break this bread for the broken parts of ourselves, the wounded child in all of us, for our broken relationships, that one day all will be healed in the heart of God.
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. Though we are many, we are one body because we all share in one bread.’ Donald Reeves
Sr. Brigid Murphy CP
Sisters of the Cross & Passion,
Melbourne